Bloom
by rinabeans
Summary: 'But now Rin was gone. And she left behind her child... their child.' An AU that puts Kakashi in the arduous position of fatherhood.
1. beginnings

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own _Naruto_. The series belongs to Masashi Kishimoto._

Bloom_ is an **AU** about Kakashi's life as a young father. After hearing about Nohara Rin's death from the Sandaime, he also learns that his baby survived the ambush. Kakashi is only sixteen-years-old and an ANBU Black operative that knows nothing about babies or children in general. However, he will do whatever it takes to raise his and Rin's baby right. After living a lonely existence ever since he lost those most precious to him time and time again, he promises Rin that Hatake Sakura will be under his careful, protective watch and shall never deal with what he had to endure._

_The drabble-like chapters will consist of Kakashi's day-to-day life nurturing his baby girl. He'll struggle and get frustrated, but in the long run he learns it's all worth it._

_There will be a lot of fluff. This is rated K+ because the story takes place in the ninja world, therefore blood and some violence might be included. Also, the timeline is a bit different from canon._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

A knock on the door resounded within the confines of the Hokage's cluttered office. The Sandaime kept his eyes trained on his scratched mahogany desk with his hands tucked underneath his chin. His face turned grim when he felt the visitor's chakra signature from the opposite end. He cleared his throat while wondering how he still managed to be Hokage despite all the tribulation and bitterness it all seemed to carry.

"Come in."

The door slowly opened, and a young man in his teens stepped into the office. His unruly silver hair and lone scarlet eye gave away his identity beneath the dog ANBU mask he currently donned. The older man made a gesture with his finger, signaling the operative to remove it. The teen stood straighter and carefully moved his mask to the side. If he wanted him to reveal his face then that meant something... dire needed to be discussed.

Kakashi furrowed his brows and spoke. "Sandaime-sama, is something the matter?"

The Sandaime waited a few moments before heaving out a heavy sigh. He lifted his eyes to look straight into Kakashi's.

Kakashi's heart started to beat faster. _'Is... Was it-'_

He wanted to voice out his thoughts but was afraid to do so if the Sandaime responded with a 'yes'. The old man sensed Kakashi wanted to speak but held up a hand to keep him from doing so. Quietly, he leaned back into his chair, the air suddenly feeling heavy. He felt sincerely terrible for the boy. He nodded, knowing what Kakashi was about to ask. It was obvious, since Kakashi didn't hold many things dear to him besides his pack and old teammate.

"Kakashi... I'm very sorry. Rin has been killed."

The old man watched as Kakashi's face crumpled, eyes wide with crushing realization. He began to breathe quicker with his hands clenched into tight fists by his sides.

"I am truly sorry, Kakashi. She and her team were ambushed while travelling back home. There were Sound ninja by our border who wished to take home with them confidential information on Konoha. Rin was able to stay conscious for few moments when another squad arrived at the scene."

Kakashi wanted to scream. How could this happen? First Obito, who he had made a promise with to protect Rin with his life. Then Sensei... and now his only precious teammate was gone. It just wasn't fair. Why Rin? Why not him? How he had survived this long in ANBU was daunting, even to him. He wished he could have taken her place - let her survive instead of him. And not only that, but...

"Kakashi, please, sit down."

The young man took his time walking towards the empty seat in front of the Hokage's desk. He felt that if he wasn't careful, his knees would buckle beneath him and he'd just drop down to the floor in despair. Once seated, however, he covered his face with his hands and began to soundlessly cry. Tears, unbidden, began to flow down his masked cheeks. He tried not to cry, but the pain was just too hard to bear.

The Sandaime - Sarutobi - let him relieve himself of his pain for a few minutes before speaking again. Watching the poor boy cry once again for another precious person of his was arduous. Anyone who knew Kakashi would know that he carefully hides his emotions. He is not one to easily open up, so to see him break down like this, in front of the Hokage no less, was heart-breaking.

Once he had dismally calmed down, he used whatever breath he had left to state, "She was pregnant!"

The words were shaky and all but a whisper, but the Sandaime heard it. He pursed his lips, and proceeded to unravel the full story on Rin's murder.

"Yes." He took in a deep breath and looked at Kakashi's blood-specked gloves. Oh, how he wished this boy didn't have to live such a traumatic life...

"However, for the few moments that Rin was still alive after back-up had arrived, she plead to the medic on the team to take care of-"

Kakashi's head whirled upwards, eyes wide and frantic, "...The baby?"

Sarutobi nodded. Then he said, "You and Rin were in a romantic relationship." It was more of a statement than a question.

The ANBU operative nodded, his eyes rimmed red. He closed them, "Yes, we... we were." _Were._

The Hokage then stood and gestured for the weary teen in front of him to do the same. "Follow me."

* * *

Kakashi didn't know what to say.

He and the Hokage stood side-by-side as they stared through the large glass. Sarutobi had pointed out a certain small creature, one that almost drowned in the fluffy confines of her blankets and pillows. A machine that released gentle whirring sounds was attached to the container she was sleeping in.

"She..."

"She's premature. By one month."

Kakashi nodded. "Right."

The old man huffed out smoke from his pipe and focused his eyes on the pink-haired little thing. She was sleeping soundly on her small bed, covered in a light blanket. Her tiny hands were encased in soft pink mittens while her feet were wrapped in fluffy boots. Her little precious head was wrapped in a comfortable looking beanie, where tufts of her silky hair stuck out. Kakashi never let his eyes drift from her sleeping face.

The sixteen-year-old swallowed thickly. "She's my..."

"Yes."

"She has pink hair. Just like..."

"Rin's mother, yes. We have yet to see her eyes."

"Her nose, mouth... everything looks like Rin."

The Sandaime glanced at the boy next to him before settling his eyes once again on the babe and the incubator. "Do you wish to take care of her yourself?" He felt the boy in question next to him stiffen.

"Kakashi."

"I..."

"She needs you. Once we settle everything out, we can decide on a plan that will help you raise that baby. We will have to take you off the active roster for quite some time. Although you are in ANBU and being an operative holds great responsibility, fatherhood certainly holds a much greater one."

The silver haired teen listened carefully. He sighed.

All his life, people that he held dear to him were taken away without warning. Obito had been killed on that damned mission. He had been left to bleed out beneath the rocks. Sensei had been killed, though heroically. He just wished he could have spent more time with his sensei before the Kyuubi attacked or be there to help him. And Rin... he hadn't been able to see her for a month due to their busy schedules. She worked at the hospital even though she was pregnant, and he had been flooded with week long missions that left him weary and made him contemplate on leaving ANBU for good.

He should have. But now Rin was gone. And she left behind her child... their child.

He clenched his hands into fists. He looked determinedly at the sleeping infant in front of him, resolve clear in his steely gray eyes.

"I'll raise her myself. She's my daughter." _Rin's and mine._ "I want her to be with me."

He stared wistfully at his child after his confirmation. He just wanted to wrap his arms around her and protect her. He _will_ take care of her. He didn't want her to live a lonely life like he had.

'_My baby girl...'_


	2. welcome

It was only two weeks after his daughter had been born that he was he was given the okay to take her home with him. She was kept in the hospital for some tests to run and to see if any complications would arise. Overall, the infant was in stable condition, but unfortunately had the inability to properly maintain body heat. Since she was one month premature, the little girl had little body fat and immature skin. Warmers and the incubator were used to regulate this problem.

Two weeks after, though, she had been fed well and kept safe by the hospital and caring nurses who Kakashi knew he could trust as they too had children of their own. One senior nurse, who Kakashi had become quite acquainted with during his visits, had regaled him with stories of her own children and her experience being a single mother. They made the young man feel more eased, especially every time she had joked around and told silly stories of her oldest son, who, he was told, was a lot like Kakashi himself.

The senior nurse, Tanaka, adored his little pink haired girl and always volunteered to check up on her in the nursery. She cooed and was awed at the strange color of the baby's hair and eyes. The woman had kept him posted on the condition of his daughter and trained him in the art of parenting.

She taught him how to check if the baby was pooping in her diaper and how to change it, as well as how to know if she were hungry and how to make formula. She even explained the best way to put her to sleep, which was singing while rocking her in your arms. He sheepishly admitted that he wasn't much of a singer, so Tanaka said to just hum to her if it made him more comfortable. She laughed at his discomfort.

The whole segment on how to properly bathe his baby was disconcerting. He wasn't sure if he'd accidentally let her slip from his hands or if she'd somehow get some soap into her eyes. He winced at the thought and was not looking forward to bath time. He wondered if he should just get some sort of bucket and place her in there instead of letting her roam around the bathtub. Or to just wash her with a wet cloth.

During the time his and Rin's daughter recuperated in the hospital, he had set out several times to buy baby supplies. He asked a young woman that worked in the store what he should buy for his infant daughter, and she helped him as much as she could. So far, he bought bags and bags of diapers, several bodysuits and footies, and hat sets that included mittens and socks. Some baby lotion, wipes, and baby powder, and he was all set. He even bought some toys and a little dress that had pink dusty flower petals patterned on it.

Fatherhood is expensive, Kakashi thought, but good thing ANBU pay was three times better than a regular jounins. Not only that, but it was taxing to buy all those baby things without anyone seeing him. He had kindly asked the worker there to be secretive about his situation, to which she had understandingly complied.

That was a week ago. Now, he was carrying his child home in a sling that tied around his chest. With one hand secure around the small creature pressed against his chest, the other carried a baby bag that the hospital had supplied him with. Inside, all of the baby's important documents and birth certificate was secured in a manila folder, as well as the clothes they put her in when she had first arrived to the nursery. A light pink blanket, which Kakashi vaguely remembered, was tucked in one of the pockets of the bag. The blanket had frayed and soggy edges where his daughter had gnawed at.

It was now night time, so not many people were bustling about the streets of Konoha. Thank goodness he lived nearby, and on a quiet street at that. His apartment was on the third floor, so he tightened his gentle grip on his baby and jumped on a few ledges.

Once inside, he put down the bag and sat carefully on his small couch. He had moved some furniture around to accommodate for his daughter's belongings. Now his living room looked like a... cute, girly mess. Why did girl things always have to be pink?

He didn't dwell on the thought much longer as a whimper resounded throughout the room. He looked down and saw green eyes peeking at him behind the cloth of the sling. He smiled gently and untied the sling, releasing the baby from its hold and into his strong arms. He held her as he was instructed, cradling her with her head supported by his forearm, and his other arm cupping her bottom. She was so light and tiny.

He rocked her gently as the baby girl stared at him with big, curious eyes. When he had first seen the color of her pupils, he knew what to name her. The green of her innocent-looking orbs coupled with the light pink of her silky hair made him think of the cherry blossom trees that had bloomed outside recently. Not only that, but she was born in March.

'_On the 28th, no less_,' Kakashi had thought mirthfully.

She was a child of spring. The very epitome of the cheery season. Therefore, he thought Sakura a fitting name for his little baby. Hatake Sakura and Hatake Kakashi. Their names suited each other. He was glad that another person was able to carry his family name.

Now he wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

After changing Sakura's diaper and feeding her some formula, he had gotten her all cleaned up (using a wet cloth and some baby-safe soap) and ready for bed.

She was changed into a footie pajama with the henohenomoheji face stitched into it, which Kakashi just couldn't resist the urge to buy. Kakashi had settled her carefully onto his futon. He had brought out more blankets and pillows from his closet to fluff up his lumpy bed. He bought a dog plushie that looked eerily like Pakkun without the ninja gear and put it next to Sakura so she wouldn't stray from the futon and roll onto the hardwood floor.

Sakura was intrigued by the toy and flapped her small hands at the dog. Kakashi chuckled and pointed at it, "Doggie. See? It's a doggie." He poked it and pet it.

"It's fluffy, so I thought you'd like it. It looks like one of my ninken." He looked at his daughter with amused eyes as she continued to stare at the plushie and hit it with a tiny fist.

"I'm a dog person." He lay down and pulled his sweater off. It was thrown to the side as he pulled the covers over himself and Sakura. He raised an arm over her, sheltering her head as he laid on his side. The roseate-haired baby noticed the blankets on top of her and looked to the side to stare at her father.

Her eyes widened, like she just realised something or was surprised. Kakashi stiffened when he saw the look on her face, now on alert as he looked her over. Was she uncomfortable? Was she hurt?

He sat up a bit and flinched when something lightly slapped him on his bare cheek. Sakura's hand laid on top of his scarred cheek, observing the expression on his face and smiled. Kakashi's breath hitched at the curved lips of the infant.

She was... smiling? For what?

And then Sakura tapped him again. She opened her mouth to reveal a gummy smile, and let out a squeaky laugh. Kakashi put his hand over her small one, smiling down at her in return.

Now he realised what was going on. Sakura was delighted and touching his face... She never saw him unmasked before, and she was excited. The young father laughed with her and poked her chubby cheek. She was so adorable - it made him smile. His baby girl was having fun poking his face with her soft hands, which he welcomed amusedly. He caught her hand when it hovered over his mouth, and playfully bit it with his lips.

Sakura kicked her little legs, giggling at her father being silly. He tickled her stomach as he kissed her on her forehead and button nose.

He watched her squirm and laugh squeakily, and thought, '_This is way better than throwing kunai all day._'


	3. isolation

"C'mon, Sakura-chan."

Kakashi looked down at the baby cradled in the crook of his elbow who refused to eat. He poked the tip of the bottle near the corner of Sakura's mouth and hoped that she'd take the hint and drink. Unfortunately, she just stared at him with an annoyed look on her cherubic face.

Kakashi poked her chubby cheek and pouted, eyes big as he silently plead with her to eat something. Just a few sips even, and he'd be fine. He just didn't want her to starve. She had been like this ever since he sent a clone out to buy him more groceries and a tub of baby formula. They waited anxiously for the clone to arrive without any problems, and when it did the baby on his lap gurgled and clapped her hands.

As soon as the clone poofed away, Sakura whimpered and looked at he door as if it'd open again and another clone would come barreling in. Was she confused or something? Maybe she just likes her father performing jutsu? She _is_ the daughter of two great ninja...

Sakura pouted at him back and blubbered. Bubbles formed at the corners of her mouth, which made Kakashi smile fondly. He wiped away her spit as he gently bounced her in his arm. He sighed and got up from the couch, making his way to the kitchen to put her bottle back in the refrigerator. He checked the clock on the oven.

'_Only 12:26PM?_' Kakashi scratched the back of his head. He had woken up at 9:00AM due to Sakura's restlessness. She was looking at the window in curiosity. From then he had tried to put her back to sleep and attempted to feed her. Nothing worked, much to his chagrin. He just really wanted to sleep until 3 o'clock and for Sakura to do the same.

"I guess I'll just make something for myself to eat," Kakashi mused as he looked around for some cold soba noodles in his fridge. He ate at the counter all the while bouncing Sakura in his arm. The girl laid her tiny head atop his shoulder and gnawed at his sleeve. He kissed her temple and finished his breakfast. After downing some milk of his own, he padded his way over to the small room that he shared with his daughter and set her down on her half of the bed. She flopped around on the fluffy blankets and pillows, her arms in the universal gesture of 'up'.

"I don't know what to do Sakura. If only you could talk."

Kakashi rolled onto his side and settled himself beside her. Sakura inched closer and kicked him in the stomach. It obviously wasn't enough to wind him, but he pretended that it hurt to amuse his baby.

He rubbed his stomach, "Ouch, Sakura-chan! That hurt, you mean baby."

Sakura proceeded to attack him. She slapped him over the mouth, probably her way of telling him to be quiet. Kakashi acted affronted, and cupped her face with one hand.

"Why'd you do that to daddy?"

"Ah blub-blub oooh gah!"

The older Hatake chuckled and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Oh, is that right?"

"Pffft!" She spit in his face. Kakashi looked at her with mock annoyance.

"Rebelling already? Honey, you're only a month old!"

Sakura quieted down after that, sensing that she did something wrong and rolled over to stare at her "Pakkun" doll. She ignored her dad's futile attempts to catch her attention and babbled to the plushie.

'_Probably talking crap..._' Kakashi joked.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before Sakura whimpered again and stared out the window. Kakashi, startled, looked at the window, too, and tried to sense any chakra signatures lurking around his apartment. When he found nothing, he raised a curious eyebrow and picked up his daughter.

"What is it, baby?" He cradled her head in his large hand and began to rock her. She let out a sob and he worriedly rubbed soothing circles into her small back. She cuddled closer, seeking comfort from her father. The ninja frowned, troubled by his child's behavior. He walked closer to the window and glanced around to check if he overlooked anything.

"Shhh..." He whispered. Sakura gripped his dark blue shirt and pulled on it. "What do you want?"

"Eeeeh, gah! Gah!"

The little girl heaved her heavy head upward and looked out the window with longing eyes. That's when Kakashi finally understood. He berated himself mentally for being so dumb and hugged the baby closer to him.

"I'm so sorry, honey. You want to go outside?"

Sakura turned her head to cuddle close into the crook of her father's neck and cooed. Kakashi nodded, "Okay, okay. We can go out tonight, alright? See?" He pointed out the window and smiled reassuringly.

"Tonight, baby, tonight."

* * *

The ex-ANBU operative bundled up his daughter in a pair mittens, a hat, and a warm footie pajama that would surely keep her nice and toasty. He even wrapped her in a blanket with a design of little puppies running around on it. She cheered when she saw the blanket and it made Kakashi strangely proud.

He packed the baby's necessities in a backpack and changed into a standard jounin sweater. He didn't bother putting on his forehead protector and left it on his table. It wasn't even that cold outside, but it was still enough to get little Sakura sick. Once he checked for everything, he left his apartment via window and held the baby close to him as he jumped from roof to roof.

Sakura squeaked from her place against his muscled chest and happily gurgled at her father. Kakashi smiled and nuzzled his chin atop her head.

"Happy now?"

Sakura kicked her feet. "I guess that's a yes. Thank you for finally eating, by the way."

After declaring that they'd make a trip outside, Sakura had, funnily enough, drank from her bottle with no trouble. Kakashi tried once more after looking out the window and was thankful when she greedily drank all the milk from her small bottle.

He had cleaned her up and changed her diaper after that and waited for the sun to set. He read to her (not Icha Icha, he hid those books so that Sakura would _never_ get to them), and played peek-a-boo for hours. He has to admit, it feels great to be out in the open again. After being locked in his apartment for nearly a month, he ran out of things to do. Of course, he had the responsibility of taking care of his baby, but he was a teenager that itched for some fun. Preferably with people his age.

The thing was, though, was that no one knew he had a child. They all think he went out for a two month long mission with his ANBU team. Hiruzen didn't release any information on Kakashi's new life as a father, to which he was thankful for. If any one of his friends found out, they would not leave him alone. Not only that, but he just didn't want anyone bothering his precious daughter. Call it being overly protective or whatever - he just wanted to have some time alone with his daughter!

It was a hassle to even send his clones out to retrieve necessities and groceries, as he always had to make sure if Gai or someone was out on the streets. Oh, gosh. If Gai ever found out...

Kakashi scowled and continued leaping through the village until he found himself in a grassy field. All around there was nothing but fully bloomed flowers, trees, and dirt. He walked over to a large boulder and climbed on top of it. He released the backpack from his person and settled it beside him.

He gently patted Sakura's back to get her attention away from his shirt. She stuck a hand in her mouth and made spit bubbles as she stared at him. The silver haired teen couldn't resist the urge to bend down and kiss her on the nose.

He didn't stop there. Kakashi pecked soft kisses all over her face and head, making the girl squeal with laughter. He laughed and raised her above his head. She kicked her feet out in delight and giggled.

"You're really happy now, aren't you? Yes you are, yes you are!" The young father cooed.

The baby, still wrapped in her blanket, flailed her arms and spoke.

"Ah goo gah!"

Kakashi grinned, "I love you, too. More than anything."

Sakura let out a happy giggle. It was like music to his ears.

"You make daddy smile so much, you know that? You're such a good baby."

Kakashi let her down to sit in his lap. He supported her head by letting her lean onto his chest. He looked to the darkened sky. The stars were beautiful.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. Look at the sky!" He whispered as he pointed upwards.

Sakura followed her fathers finger and gazed at the stars. They reflected in the baby's large eyes, reminding Kakashi of emeralds. His daughter was truly beautiful. He cuddled her close and let out a peaceful sigh.

"We should do this every week. What do you think?"

The pink-haired babe yipped. He took that as a 'yes' and looked to the sky again.

"Whatever you say, princess."


	4. yearning

Kakashi sat back in his chair, relieved to finally soothe his aching muscles after a long days work. He just finished unpacking everything in the living room, feeling better that all of Sakura's stuff were now placed in all the appropriate spots to easily grab instead of frantically rustling through cardboard boxes. Everything was settled in perfectly and organized to his liking. Contrary to popular opinion, Kakashi was not a messy, lazy porn-reading weirdo who spent most of his time being anti-social and training by himself. He was actually a very humorous person once people got to know him. He was also not lazy. Oh no, definitely not. If he were, he wouldn't be able to raise his baby. Yes, he does read porn, but it's not all he does. He has other hobbies and occasionally reads other novels that are not pornographic. He has friends (Gai is not one of them), and he was most _definitely_ not messy and disorganized.

He was actually very obsessed with the idea of being clean. Before he had Sakura, he would meticulously clean his weapons until they shined even though he would later ruin them again with enemy blood. He always washed his dishes and cleaned the table. He would broom out his living room until not a speck of dirt remained, and he would dust out his futon and beat out the lumps every week.

Everything was done at a certain time and planned a certain way. Nothing in his life was disorderly, really, until a few months ago when he had taken to visiting the graveyard every morning. He couldn't find the time to visit his lost friends in the evening anymore as his days got busier and busier. He would just stand by and talk to the cold, hard stones that had Obito and Minato-sensei's names engraved into them for hours.

However, that segment of his life wasn't a part of his schedule anymore. At least, for now. Sakura always needed something in the morning. Earlier today, she had pooped her pants again and needed a quick change before going back to bed. An hour later she was hungry so had to make some milk for her to drink. After that she went back to sleep, but Kakashi couldn't. By then it had been 1:00PM, so he had to get up and prepare things for the day while Sakura was peacefully slumbering on their shared futon.

He had recently moved out of his dingy old apartment and bought a quaint little house by the Uchiha district. The people that sold them the house were an old married couple that were moving out of Konoha to live with their daughter and son-in-law in another village nearby. The husband, Kenta-san, had been kind enough to lower the price for him when he found out that he had a child. Kakashi at first objected but gave in when Kenta-san's wife, Yoroi, had joined in and demanded him to accept. He graciously agreed to buy the house for the lowered price and sincerely thanked them. Yoroi waved him off, saying being a single father is tough and she just wanted him to not worry so much about spending money.

Thanks to them, he had saved a whopping three hundred ryu. Why couldn't more people be as nice as them? Kakashi sighed and picked his daughter up. She was playing with a doggie plushie and kid-safe ninja tools made of rubber. He laughed when she whipped a small shuriken at the fake dog and yipped. The young father smacked a wet kiss to Sakura's chubby cheek and hugged her close. The little girl chewed on a kunai and spit out bubbles from the corners of her mouth.

Kakashi's smile widened as he wiped her mouth with his thumb. He fondly brushed thick bangs away form her eyes and arranged her to be in a more comfortable position in his arms. It was now 9:00PM and someone needed to sleep. He tickled her stomach and the pink-haired babe giggled.

He loved her laugh. It was breathy and sweet, reminding Kakashi of Rin so much.

_'Oh, Rin...'_ Kakashi swallowed a lump down his throat. He felt guilty not visiting her along with his other teammates, but he just so caught up with Sakura. It pained him to not talk to her and update her with things that have been happening with their child. He longed to tell her how Sakura was so much like her, but acted like him in so many ways. He wished he could tell her how Sakura smiled just like her when she was carefree and happy. He wanted to show her how much Sakura had grown since she last saw her, seconds before darkness took over her vision.

The silver-haired teen gently patted Sakura's back as he stared down at her messy tresses. He unconsciously smoothed them as he thought about Rin and Team Minato. Although no one could tell he was happy back then, he was really was. When he was thirteen, he had enjoyed going on missions with Rin, Obito, and sensei.

He let out a shaky breath as he kissed his daughters temple as she drifted off to sleep. He let his thumb caress her cheek as he rocked her back and forth.

"Don't _ever_ leave me, sweetheart..."


	5. enervated

_Yes, Sakura is an intelligent baby. I plan to continue this story for quite some time, and so, I want to show you all how she progresses. With Kakashi as her father in this AU, she will have some minor changes in her personality. As she grows up, I will focus more on her intelligence, as will Kakashi himself. I don't want to say anything more than this, but it'll help him train her to become a brilliant kunoichi..._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

A shrill cry resounded throughout the room. Kakashi, who had been sleeping peacefully with Pakkun by his side, woke up with a start. In less than a second, he was on his feet. His lone sharingan eye glinted in the pale moonlight that filtered through the wide windows as he tried to sense for anyone within the house.

The cries got louder and that's when Kakashi berated himself for being such an idiot. He cursed quietly and quickly, but gently, reached for his daughter. He immediately began to rub soothing circles over her back once she laid her small head on top of his shoulder. The ex-ANBU operative let out a heavy sigh, feeling dog-tired. Pakkun padded around his summoner, curious eyes roaming over the huddled bodies of father and daughter. The dog let out a grunt and bit his toes, making Kakashi swiftly glance in his direction then bring his attention back to his baby.

"What is it, Pakkun?" His voice was raspy and low, trying hard to not let his patience run thin.

The miniature pug licked his paw, trying to remove some jam he had eaten earlier behind Kakashi's back. It was on the floor, and Kakashi didn't clean it up, so...

"I think you need some help."

Kakashi clicked his tongue. "I can take care of my child on my own."

Pakkun resisted the urge to roll his eyes. '_Yeah, right_._ Look at you!_'

"Really, I can." The silver-haired young man sat down once he saw Sakura start to drift off, and changed her position so he pillowed her head with his arm. He rocked her back and forth as he spoke, "No one is supposed to know about this. Besides, I don't trust anyone else to do it, anyway."

Pakkun raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yes. Too many questions will arise... and I don't want too much attention put on Sakura."

"I thought children thrive on attention."

"I can give her that by myself." Kakashi stared down at baby Sakura's downy locks and brushed through them with his thumb.

"Not much of a childhood if she spends it all _only_ with her father."

The summon sighed softly. He laid down, his head cradled in the burrow of his arms. "Listen, brat. I worry for you and that baby. No matter what people say, parenting will always take two or more. Single parents always get help from others, believe it or not. Why, my aunt was a single mother. My old uncle was killed in battle when I was a pup, so I didn't know much of what was happening, but... she had a hard time dealing with everything. She wept and cried for days," Pakkun readjusted his head to stare at Kakashi in the eyes, "so my ma went over and gave her a hand. She helped raise her children, Kakashi. All _seven_ of 'em. Including me and my brothers, remember..."

Kakashi only blinked at him and diverted his attention to stare at the ceiling. It was silent for almost ten minutes, which made Pakkun worry that he messed up his chance on changing the brat's mind. Right when he was about to shut his eyelids, Kakashi spoke up. He whispered,

"What do I do?"

Pakkun's eyes widened, and he sat up and trotted over to place a paw on the teen's knee. "Get help. I'm sure Sandaime-sama can do something about it."

Kakashi nodded. "Alright."

* * *

"I've been waiting for you, Kakashi."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"

"I heard that you've been having some problems with your new position as a father."

A shrug, "Not that new anymore..."

Sarutobi laughed to himself and lit his pipe with a small fire jutsu and leaned forward. "Look at you, boy. The bags beneath your eyes say it all. So tell me," he stuck the pipe in his mouth and sucked in a large breath, "how hard has it been?"

"She's been waking up every now and then... for a week now."

The Hokage nodded as he blowing smoke out the corner of his mouth. "We all go through that some days. I remember when Asuma used to act up and keep me up. You know, I think he did it on purpose, smart little brat... A child can turn you into a fool, Kakashi. They wrap you around their little pinkie and all you can see is them."

"I see."

"Oh, yes. Be careful not to spoil her too much." The Sandaime wagged a finger, "From the looks of it, your daughter is quite the little one. Intelligent for her age."

"Have you been checking her doctors reports?"

"It's protocol. You're on paid-leave, and I'm covering for you, remember. I have to check on your status every now and then to decide if you are able to take care of that baby. You're a teen father who was just discharged from active duty as an ANBU operative."

Kakashi's brows furrowed in silent frustration. He's been taking very good care of his baby. For the last few months, he has been keeping his temper in check. He's been very patient and attentive with Sakura. He even moved out of his apartment to give Sakura more room to grow up.

"I love my child very much, Sandaime-sama. I've been doing the best I can."

"I can tell you love the little Hatake. All I was saying is that you need to look at your own needs as well. Sakura can't have a father who can't handle the conditions of being a parent. You must keep your mental stability in check. Now, to be completely truthful, I thought you'd come running over here within a week of taking care of your baby."

"I-"

"I will assign two fully-qualified jounins to assist you in caring for Hatake Sakura. Every two weeks, they shall rotate to accommodate for their mission schedules."

Kakashi suppressed a sigh. "Very well then."

The Hokage nodded once. "It is settled. You are dismissed."

Within a second of Kakashi not moving a single muscle, Sarutobi leaned back in his chair and gave Kakashi a curious look. "Is there anything else you'd wish to discuss?"

The silver-haired ninja squared his shoulder and looked at the Hokage right in the eyes. "I would like to choose the two jounin who will be assigned to look after Sakura-chan."

'_Sakura-chan, eh?_' Sarutobi smiled. "Alright. Come by tomorrow morning, I will have the paperwork done and jounin files set and ready."

Kakashi bowed, "Thank you Sandaime-sama."

* * *

"Now, I am grateful that my baby has a good head on her shoulders, but some days... I question why it turned out like this."

Kakashi stared at his daughter with his hands on his hips. The baby, only five months old, was brushing through pages and pages of _Icha Icha Paradise_. She looked through the book as if she actually knew how to read and smiled to herself. How did she even find the book to begin with? He hid all of them!

"Sakura-chan. Let go of the book."

Sakura looked at him and turned her attention back on page 276. "That part isn't even interesting. There's nothing to see, baby, so give it back."

"Ah bleh!"

"Yeah, yeah, bleh, Sakura-chan. It's boring, I know, so let go of the book..." Kakashi was internally screaming as he watched drool drip onto the pages of his precious novel.

The baby stared at her poor father and grinned. Does she really understand him? Was she doing this just to twist his gears?

"Young lady, you are far too young to be rebelling now." Kakashi walked over and pried the book from her tiny hands. Sakura tried to hold onto it and let out a mewl as the pages slipped through her chubby fingers. Her brows furrowed and she jutted her lower lip.

"Do no give me that look. You are not about to cry." The silver-haired teen pointed a finger at her and tried not to smile. He wished he had a camera, she was just too cute. Her chubby cheeks swelled and her eyes watered. He wanted to kneel and gather her up into his arms and hug her.

He set his book back into it's place and made note of coming for it later. He needs a new hiding spot...

He checked the time, peering over at the clock situated on the small coffee table in the corner. Kakashi brushed imaginary dust off his hands, and tickled Sakura's belly.

"Don't cry, baby. That stuff isn't for you, trust me," he got up and handed her a doggie plushie, the one with brown spots, "I have to go and make us some food to devour and then give you another bath. You pooped a big one today."

He rushed over to the kitchen to mix some milk, and heat up some tempura and miso soup. He was so hungry. Once he woke up, he only fed Sakura and chewed on some untoasted bread. "Sakura, food is almost done, honey!"

Kakashi quickly set up the table and poured some water for himself. He checked the clock on the oven and placed his apron on the hook. '_Only took me ten minutes..._'

He ran to his room and check over Sakura as he stepped into the room. "You okay, baby?"

Sakura stopped chewing on the doggie's ear and lifted her ears in the universal gesture of up. Kakashi complied and carried her over to the kitchen, where she sat in his lap as she fed. He stole some quick bites in as he held her bottle and reveled in the taste of tempura. The pink-haired babe gave him a look and he shrugged.

"Tempura is so good. You'll know once you start solids."

After a few minutes, Sakura was done and he set her down in the spacious living room to play on the mats. Her toys were scattered about, as well as her blanket, so he fixed it right up and brought down a fluffy pillow from the couch and patted it, "If you get tired, sleep here, okay?"

He snapped his fingers, and Pakkun stepped out from behind the couch. He was licking his paws and rubbing his face to free himself from all the dust coating his fur.

"You need to clean, boss. Place is a mess."

"Just there, Pakkun. Can you watch Sakura-chan for me, while I eat for a bit?"

"Sure, sure. I love playing with Sakura."

Kakashi nodded and sat down at the table. He took a sip of water, "I went to the Hokage's office today."

Pakkun's ears shot up, "How'd it go?"

"Alright. I head out again tomorrow, so I have to get up early and bring Sakura over for a visit. Sandaime-sama wants to see her and... I'm selecting two jounin to help me take care of Sakura."

"Wow, that easy?"

"Yes. He was waiting for me to come for help." Kakashi bit into shrimp tempura, and scooped up some vegetables and rice. "He gave me a lecture, too."

"But it's alright, now, isn't it? You're receiving help."

"Yeah..."

Kakashi drank some miso soup and chewed on some tendon tempura. He reached for a glass of water and stared intently at Pakkun, who was patting Sakura gently on the head.

The dog looked miffed. "What, brat?"

The young father took a sip of water and shrugged, still staring at Pakkun. "Nothing. I just heard from Sandaime-sama that he "heard" from someone that I've been having "problems" with my new position as a father."

The small pug stiffened. "I..."

"When?"

"...When you were giving Sakura-chan a bath."

Kakashi frowned. "Do not do it again."

Pakkun swallowed and saluted, "Y-Yes, sir!"

* * *

_Next chapter, I will bring in more characters for the mentioned positions (as, er, Sakura's nannies?) as Kakashi's chosen jounin. _

_Guess!_


End file.
